Sunday, February 23, 2020

Homelessness Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Homelessness - Case Study Example This was the only nice item of clothing she had and she was glad that her sister had outgrown it fast. Other wise she would be cold in her now threadbare pullover, the only other thing that she could say was really hers that she was given many Christmases back by some stranger who found her crying on the junction of Elm and Mel Street. Last week, that boy Curtis in her class had made fun of her look, again! He said it was jaded and unkempt. Well, he didn't know the half of it. At least she was able to shower today. She couldn't remember the last time she had a decent shower. She just used a wash cloth to wipe herself in the school bathroom so that she would at least not smell like the old torn upholstery that she always slept on. Her hair was clean today too. Normally, it was all oily and tangled. No wonder she had such few friends. Other girls at school were always clean, looking all prim and proper in their cute clothes compared to her. No wonder she couldn't get a boy to like her, she thought to herself quietly. Last night her mother was able to get them space at the Open shelter. She and her sister had been overjoyed. She got a hot bowl of soup and some steaming vegetables for supper and this morning, a mug of tea. But she thought the best part of all was that she got a bed all to herself that she did not have to share with either her mother or her sister. She had slept soundly for the first time in many weeks not worried about the cold or the mean looking strangers in the next carton house. She hadn't really eaten to her fill and she thought it hadn't been enough having had nothing to eat for two straight days. But it sure had tasted so good. She couldn't remember the last time she had anything hot, and clean, to eat. Most of the time she and her sister just rummaged through the bins outside restaurants. Two day old croissants weren't all that bad when washed down with some water. She then remembered that she might have to sleep in the carton house today and she frowned. Her mother might not be so lucky to get space in the Open shelter again today. It was by luck that she had managed to do so yesterday anyway. She would be sleeping hungry again today; there would be no hot bowl of soup like yesterday. Well, maybe not because something good just might happen. Like the Salvation Army would come by handing out packed food like they sometimes do. She thought about Curtis again and promised herself that one of these fine days she would punch him squarely on the jaw. She smiled at the thought of him just squirming. Soon, she started picking the small balls of lint from her frock, and for that moment she completely forgot about Curtis. Someday she would have all the nicest frocks and in different colors too. Pink was her favorite color. It was early morning and a lady going for her morning jog stopped by the bench to stretch for a bit. As she did so she took out one of those delicious looking power candy bars. As she watched the woman strip the cover off the bar, Sue could already feel the far off rumble in her stomach. The mug of tea she took in the

Friday, February 7, 2020

Personal portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Personal portfolio - Essay Example Moreover, research has it that job related stress have dire impacts on an employee’s social and psychological aspects of life (Dewe, P et al, 2010). For example, it may result to psychological breakdown in serious cases. Individuals have also reported to have broken social ties with family and friends as a result. It is therefore important to develop the ability to cope with work related stress and sustain pressure emanating from work. When working as an employee, I have to face several situations that are challenging and stressful. Such difficult situations are for example, having too much work to do within a very limited timeline, bulling by mean superiors and exaggerated expectations from employers just to mention but a few. However, I was required to stay steady and focused on work and deliver quality and reliable services despite the difficulties that I faced. This necessitated the need to be able to work under pressure. Employees experience pressure from different directions, and this certainly affects their productivity at work in a negative manner. It is therefore vital that they learn best how to articulate there work amidst the mounting pressure. The skill is a combination of other desirable skills and attributes of an individual that builds up to an adaptive personality. Such desirable skills are for example, patience, humility, resilience, confidence, humility et cetera. Being humble has certainly enabled me to take unpleasant comments, disapprovals and rebuke from my colleagues and superiors at work places. It also took me confidence in myself to overcome difficult and stressful situations, enabling me to deliver efficiently deliver my duties without having to succumb to the effects of pressure. Believing that things will eventually turn out positively, enabled me to withstand the adverse pressure that came with work. My

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Mythical American Dream Challenged in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesm

Mythical American Dream Challenged in Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman      Ã‚   Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman challenges the American dream. Before the Depression, an optimistic America offered the alluring promise of success and riches. Willy Loman suffers from his disenchantment with the American dream, for it fails him and his son. In some ways, Willy and Biff seem trapped in a transitional period of American history. Willy, now sixty-three, carried out a large part of his career during the Depression and World War II. The promise of success that entranced him in the optimistic 1920's was broken by the harsh economic realities of the 1930's. The unprecedented prosperity of the 1950's remained far in the future. Willy Loman represents a uniquely American figure: the traveling salesman. Every week, he takes a journey to stake his bid for success. It would be difficult to miss the survival of the American frontier mentality in the figure of the traveling salesman. The idea of the American dream was heavily influenced by the rush for gold and land in the nineteenth-century American West. It is no coincidence that in the 1950's, the decade most preoccupied with the mythical American dream, America experienced an unprecedented love affair with Westerns. Willy and Linda try to build their own version of the American dream with their family. In high school, Biff was the all-American boy as the captain of the football team. True to the myth of the all-American boy, girls and admiring friends surrounded him. Willy and Linda's lives are full of monthly payments on possessions that symbolize that dream: a car, a home, and household appliances. The proliferation of monthly payments allowed families with modest incomes to h... ...une promised by the American dream. He cannot admit doubt or insecurity because a good salesman always remains confident, and the American dream promises success to the confident, eager individual. Death of a Salesman addresses Willy's struggle to maintain his identity in the face of narrowing hopes that he or his sons will ever fulfill his dreams. Works Cited Baym, Franklin, Gottesman, Holland, et al., eds.   The Norton Anthology of American Literature.   4th ed.   New York: Norton, 1994. Corrigan, Robert W., ed. Arthur Miller.   Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1969. Florio, Thomas A., ed. â€Å"Miller’s Tales.† The New Yorker.   70 (1994): 35-36. Miller, Arthur.   The Archbishop’s Ceiling/The American Clock. New York: Grove Press, 1989. ---.   Death of a Salesman.   New York: Viking, 1965. ---.   Eight Plays.   New York:   Nelson Doubleday, 1981.

Monday, January 13, 2020

Inter-Professional Working Essay

The intention of this essay is to explore inter professional working and the impact it has on the quality of health care delivered within a mental health setting. For this purpose I have reflected on a previous placement where I worked in an acute mental health treatment ward and on the formative assessment assigned to me within this module. Inter professional working in a health care setting involves different health care professionals working together in a collaborative fashion, this ensures the highest quality of care is delivered to service users (Day, J 2005). It is suggested that the collaborative nature of inter professional working will lead to information and knowledge being shared amongst professionals within a team, which will ultimately lead to improved judgement when providing care and creating a higher bench mark for quality care (DOH 2007). In the NHS, it is stated that quality is defined by doing the right thing in the right way at the right time in the right place with the right result (NHS 2012). Lord Darzi’s High Quality Care for all (2008) states that delivering quality healthcare includes providing patients and the public with effective safety, cleanliness, delivery of care as well as a good patient experience and the consideration of patient dignity and respect . To assure that quality care is being provided, quality is externally and internally measured and evaluated. Within a healthcare setting it is measured at three levels. The national level includes audits, staff surveys, patient surveys and mortality and morbidity rates. The strategic level includes clinical governance, benchmarking and meetings amongst high level staff. The clinical level includes protocols, care pathways, complaints made by patients and infection control (CQC 2011). Within the NHS another element in the provision of quality, is the implementation of national service frameworks. These are implemented to make sure clear quality requirements are set and that the most up to date evidence based practice is working effectively in a given setting (DOH 2011). Following exploration of the literature for interprofessional working, three key issues identified are communication, culture and knowledge of professional roles (Pollard, K et al 2005). In regards to communication with in the team, to be able to provide holism in regards to a patients care all professionals within the team must engage in clear and open communication (Ellis. R et al 2003). It is essential that all of the professionals’ views and perspectives are heard and taken into consideration when implementing care. Although there are clear advantages to open communication there are often barriers that inhibit this practice. Lack of knowledge or the stereotyping of other professions can lead to ideas, recommendations and perspectives of an individual not being heard or taken into consideration. This can ultimately affect the quality of care delivered to a service user (Barret,G et al 2005). In order to overcome such barriers, trust and respect of fellow professionals must be present. If the environment is lacking in trust and respect, it may result in professionals protecting their roles and justifying actions. This can then result in a closed working environment, where professionals do not learn from shared experiences and constructive criticism is not welcomed. Collectively this can impede on the holistic and collaborative nature required in the delivery of healthcare (Day, J 2005). In order to approach care holistically, each member of the interprofessional team must have awareness and knowledge of the different professional roles within the team. This is due to the fact that conducting a holistic assessment is beyond the scope of any individual professional. Lack of knowledge of the roles of other professions and the boundaries of an individual’s role can lead to specific areas of care not being delivered to its highest quality (Wilcock, M et al. 2009). Professional culture can affect the delivery of quality care as the norms and values of different professional groups maybe in contrast with one another. This can lead to a disagreement or conflict when discussing and planning the approach when devising a plan to deliver patient care. However these differences between professional s can have a positive effect on the formulation and direction of service delivery (Day, J 2005). Taking into account the different ideals and perspectives can lead to a comprehensive and thorough assessment of a service user needs thus optimizing the quality of care provided. Within professional cultures there is often the use of unique jargon. Amongst an interprofessional team this can lead to barriers to effective communication which could ultimately lead to a lesser quality of care delivered. In order to overcome this obstacle members within the interprofessional team need to be self-aware of the language they are using to avoid causing confusion amongst professionals (Ellis. R et al .2003). On consideration of my placement in an acute psychiatric ward, I reflected on the interactions amongst the members of the interprofessional team. The role of the acute psychiatric ward was to provide treatment to service users aged eighteen to fifty five with conditions ranging from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective, depression, mania, eating disorders and borderline personality disorders. Due to the wide range of disorders and the complex care that is often required to treat service users holistically there were often more than one professional within the interprofessional team that was involved in a service users care (NICE 2011). The professionals that were involved in this wards care whilst I was on placement were Nurses, Occupational therapists, Psychiatrists, Pharmacists, Social workers, Dietitians and Psychologists. Due to the differing nature of each of these professions, unique perspectives of the service user and their needs are assessed and an adequate and holistic care plan could be implemented. Key information was often passed on, an example I observed was in regards to eating plans from the Dietitan passed on to the nursing staff for eating disorder patients. From my perspective as a student mental health nurse whilst on the ward it became apparent that professional culture and ideologies of the professions often came in conflict with each other. I observed this when decisions needed to be made, there was often a professional that had to compromise their views. Interprofessional working at times also had a negative effect on the service users. In one instance a patient was on continuous observations by two staff due to recent multiple suicide attempts, it was agreed amongst nursing staff that the service user only had essential items and was not allowed anything that could be potentially harmful to herself. Although this was agreed amongst nursing staff the policy did not state any specifics that were not allowed, it did however state that it would be at the discretion of the professional at the time that is carrying out the continuous observation. This ultimately led to conflict when the occupational therapist allowed the service user to use paints, pencils, and paint brushes. On reflection this was not conducive to the recovery or mental state of the service user due to lack of consistency from staff that were looking after her. Barrett, G et al (2005) states that the power share amongst the interprofessional team is an important issue as an unequal power share amongst the team could lead to professions oppressed and unable to have a significant input. However it is also argued that without strong leadership and direction there is no true direction to the care being delivered and professionals within the team will rely on others to take charge (DOH 2007). On the acute ward as a student nurse I found that on the surface level there was an equal power share with all the professionals having equal input. However at times it became apparent that if a decision was made that certain professions did not like, the former hierarchy system came to fruition and the grievance was taken directly to the consultant and their decision would be final. On placement I believe that professional culture was a boundary to effective communication and collaboration amongst staff. Although all patient notes were stored on RIO which is readily available to any staff involved with patient care information was never discussed openly, formally or informally between professions unless something of significance happened. The driving factor for the interprofessional team to congregate was at that point to discuss blame instead of collaborative working. Professional identity also contributed to the quality and the effectiveness of the care given in the placement setting. The very nature of the training of each professional automatically assigns a skill set, codes of practice and standards from their governing body for example the NMC (2012) or HPC (2012). Thus meaning the very nature of this governing body can often conflict with collaborative nature of an interprofessional team. My personal suggestions for my acute mental health placement would be that there are clear guidelines and policies that need to be implemented in order for seamless clinical care to be delivered amongst the professionals. This could set clear boundaries to the remit of staff’s responsibilities. I would also suggest that time for interprofessional education be available for staff so there is a sound knowledge between the professions which can lead to a greater appreciation of the care that is delivered. On reflection of my formative group assessment it became apparent that the interpretation of the task at hand was different between each of the four members of the group, this could have been due to the fact that amongst the group there were different specialities of nurses. Once this was realised the group had to meet in order for each member to be fully aware of what was expected of them. Once there was clarity in the roles of each of the members a co-ordinator was appointed for the work to be collected and arranged appropriately for the presentation. It was agreed amongst the group the order of speakers and this translated seamlessly to the presentation. It became evident after the assessment had ended that if we had not of congregated beforehand the presentation would have not been as organised and coherent as it was (appendix). In conclusion it is clear that interprofessional working plays a vital part in the effectiveness and quality of care delivered to a service user. The literature has stated that in able for quality care to be delivered there must be willing and open participation form all members of the interprofessional team to work collaboratively. Although there are many barriers to effective interprofessional working, regulating bodies such as the NMC and organisations such as NICE have initiatives and guidelines for guidance in overcoming differences and conflicts. Clearly defined roles is an importance for professionals to be able to deliver high quality care, however he very nature of interprofessional working can sometimes hinder this as the views and perspectives of a situation between different professionals conflict with each other thus potentially leading to lack of clarity when delivering care (Wilcock, M et al. 2009). These factors were often present in my own experience in the above mentioned clinical setting. It became apparent that although there was an interprofessional approach to delivering quality healthcare, there was no clear structure to the composition of the team thus leading to conflict occurring more often than effective collaboration. Reference list: Barret, g et al . (2005). The process required for effective interprofessional working. In: Barret,g et al Interprofessional working in health and social care . Hampshire: Palgrave. P8-18. CQC (2010). Mental Health five year action plan. London Day, J (2005). Being Interprofessional . UK: Nelson thornes . P1-161. DOH (2007). Creating an Interprofessional workforce. UK: London. 1-72. DOH (2008) High quality care for all. NHS next stage review final report. London DOH (2011) The NHS Performance framework: implementation guidence. London Ellis. R et al . (2003). Improving communication . In: Ellis. R et al Interpersonal communication in nursing . 2nd ed. Hampshire: Elsevier. HPC. (2012). Your duties as registarnts . Available: http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10001BFBSCPEs-cfw.pdf. Last accessed 9th Apr 2012 NHS. (2012). Quality. Available: http://www.clinicalgovernance.scot.nhs.uk/section2/definition.asp. Last accessed 7th Apr 2012. NHS. (2012). Quality. Available: http://www.clinicalgovernance.scot.nhs.uk/section2/definition.asp. Last accessed 7th Apr 2012. NMC. (2012). The Code. Available: http://www.nmc-uk.org/Nurses-and-midwives/The-code/. Last accessed 07th Apr 2012 Pollard, K et al . (2005). The need for interprofessional working. In: Barret,g et al Interprofessional working in health and social care . Hampshire: Palgrave. P5-7. Wilcock, M et al. (2009). Health care improvement and continuing interprofessional education . Journal of continuing education in the health professions . 29 (2), p84-90

Saturday, January 4, 2020

Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier - 720 Words

During the years 1800 to 1815 Napoleon Bonaparte was preparing a large army. His goal was to spread the idea of the French Revolution and ultimately expanded Frances bountiful pride and glory. The way this was going to happen, according to Napoleon, was through expanding French territory. In order to do this he would need a large army, so that involved enlisting men by conscription. The army was filled with French men, as well as men from Germany and other surrounding areas. The Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier looks first hand look at the life of an average soldier at the time, Jakob Walter. He was a nineteen year old german boy enlisted by conscription and assigned to regiment Romig, later known as Franquemont Regiment. In somewhat of†¦show more content†¦He did supply the men with clothing, but not the kind of clothing they needed for the Russian winter, because Napoleon was not expecting for the expansion to take as much time as it did. The men were not always lacking in food, clothes, and shelter, in some places they were treated well and given plenty of alcohol and food to keep them occupied. Some areas the men passed through they would exploit the common people to get ahold of the necessities they needed. From the beginning Walter was relentless in getting the things that he knew he would need. When he had to requisition food from a village he found a Jewish man, he had to chase after him and finally caught up to him in an attic of a house in which there were many women and children. In Walters own words he said, I took him, dragged him down the two flights of stairs, and had to hold him by the coat and kick him forward for two hours, threatening him if he should fail to lead me the right village (pg. 6). This was just one example of how poorly the common people were treated and this continued throughout every campaign, but was soon returned to them when they entered into Russia. The soldiers were faced with attacks from the Cossacks in Russia andShow MoreRelated Napoleons Russian Campaign Essay2887 Words   |  12 PagesSmolensk, Barclay’s army was anxiously guarding the city’s right side. Napoleon though swung around to the Russians left side, crossed the Dnieper River and attacked the city from the south. A courageous rearguard action by a group of 9,500 Russian soldiers under General Neverovsky gained enough time for the First and Second Western Armies to unite in the city and hear Barclay’s command. Bargation and most of the generals were determined to make a stand but Barclay disagreed with them. He recognized

Friday, December 27, 2019

Leshy, Slavic Spirit of the Forest

In Slavic mythology, Leshy (Leshii or Ljeschi, plural Leshiye) is a demon-god, a tree spirit who protects and defends the animals of the forests and marshes. Mostly benevolent or neutral to humans, the Leshy has aspects of the trickster type god and has been known to lead unwary travelers astray.   Key Takeaways: Leshy Alternate Names: Lesovik, Leshiye, Leszy, Boruta, Borowy, Lesnik, Mezhsargs, Mishko VelniasEquivalent: Satyr, Pan, Centaur (all Greek)  Epithets: Old Man of the ForestCulture/Country: Slavic mythology, central EuropeRealms and Powers: Wooded areas, marshes; trickster godFamily: Leschachikha (wife) and several children Leshy in Slavic Mythology   The Leshy (or lower case leshy) is the Old Man of the Forest, and Russian peasants send their children to him to be taught. When he has the appearance of a man, his eyebrows, eyelashes, and right ear are missing. His head is somewhat pointed and he lacks a hat and a belt.   He lives alone or with his family—a wife named Leschachikha who is a fallen or cursed human woman who left her village to reside with him. They have children, and some of them are theirs and others are children who have gone missing in the forest.   Cult sites dedicated to the Leshy are known in sacred trees or groves; the Leshy feast day is celebrated on September 27.   Appearance and Reputation   When the Leshy resembles an old man, he is extremely wizened and covered from head to foot with long, tangled green hair or fur. As a giant, he has stars for eyes and as he walks he causes the wind to blow. His skin is as rough as the bark of a tree, and because his blood is blue, his skin is tinged with that color. He is seldom seen, but often heard whistling, laughing, or singing among the trees or marshes.   eshy. Illustration to the poem Ruslan and Lyudmila by A. Pushkin, 1921-1926. Private Collection. Artist Chekhonin, Sergei Vasilievich (1878-1936). Heritage Images  /  Getty Images Some stories describe him with horns and cloven hooves; he wears his shoes on the wrong feet and doesnt cast a shadow. In some tales, he is as tall as a mountain when he is in the forest, but shrinks to the size of a blade of grass when he steps outside. In others, he is very tall when far away but reduces to the size of a mushroom when he is nearby.   Role in Mythology Leshy is also a shape-changer, who can take the shape of any animal, especially wolves or bears, who are the receivers of his special protection. People who are kind to Leshy when they meet are often recipients of gifts: in folk tales, cattle are tended for poor peasants, and princes are guided on quests and find their proper princesses.   Leshy is also prone to abducting babies who have not been baptized, or children who entered the forest to pick berries or fish. He leads people astray in the forest, getting them hopelessly lost, and he has been known to drop into a wayside tavern for a visit, drink a bucket of vodka, then lead his pack of wolves back into the forest.   People who find they have annoyed a leshy or find themselves lost in the woods are advised to make the leshy laugh. Taking off all your clothes, putting them on backward, and switching your shoes to the wrong feet generally does the trick. You can also drive them away by prayers alternating with curses, or apply salt to a fire.   Leshy Lifestyles In some stories, Leshy inhabits an enormous palace with comrade leshiye, as well as serpents and beasts of the forest. The leshiye spend the winters in hibernation, and every spring, whole tribes of them run amok through the woods yelling and screaming and raping any women they find. In summer, they play tricks on humans but rarely harm them, and in autumn, they are more quarrelsome, wanting to fight and frighten off creatures and humans alike. At the end of the year when the leaves drop off the trees, the leshiye disappear again back into hibernation.   Sources and Further Reading Haney, Jack V. (ed.) The Complete Russian Folktale: Russian Wondertales II: Tales of Magic and the Supernatural. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2001Leeming, David. The Oxford Companion to World Mythology. Oxford UK: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print.Ralston, W.R.S. The Songs of the Russian People, as Illustrative of Slavonic Mythology and Russian Social Life. London: Ellis Green, 1872. Print.Sherman, Josepha. Storytelling: An Encyclopedia of Mythology and Folklore. London, Routledge, 2015.  Troshkova, Anna O., et al. Folklorism of the Contemporary Youth’s Creative Work. Space and Culture, India 6 (2018). Print.